Jason Rantz

Keep this guy in mind when you debate the death penalty

Murder defendant Conner Michael Schierman sits in Judge Gregory P. Canova's courtroom on Aug. 29, 2006, in Seattle. At right is co-defense attorney Debra Redford. (AP)

On July 16, 2006, 28-year-old Conner Michael Schierman, for whatever reason, likely peered out his window in his Kirkland home and saw a neighbor. For whatever reason, something compelled him to walk across that street and sneak into that neighbor’s house.

Conner was armed with a hatchet and two knives – one was a hunting knife. He entered that house prepared to kill someone. He found more than just someone, he found four someones.

His first victim was Olga Milkin, a 28-year-old married mother of two young boys. She wasn’t expecting her night to end with her neighbor brutally stabbing her to death.

His next victim was Olga’s sister, Lyubov Botvina, just 24 years old. She was a student at Seattle Pacific University studying for a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages. She was also stabbed to death.

Conner wasn’t done – not yet. We don’t really know if he planned on his next two kills or perhaps he just stumbled upon Olga’s two sons: Justin was 5 years old; Andrew just 3. He entered their rooms and slit their throats. One of the boys was nearly decapitated.

Hoping to hide what he did, Conner Schierman doused the home in gasoline, then set it on fire, trying to cover up the evidence.

It didn’t work. He was arrested and on April 12, 2010, he was convicted of their murders.

Conner Michael Schierman is one of the bad guys who was sentenced to death, but now, thanks to the actions of Governor Inslee, that punishment is put on hold. Apparently, the lengthy process he’s in the middle of – the detailed process that convicted him after a trial, that took three years to get started and 11 weeks to finish, with 67 state and 18 defense witnesses, wasn’t good enough in the eyes of Governor Inslee.

This is the type of person who caught a break today, who got out of, at least for the time being, the ultimate punishment of death for his crimes.

Olga didn’t catch a break. Lyubov didn’t catch a break. Five-year-old Justin didn’t catch a break. Three-year-old Andrew didn’t catch a break.

While I certainly understand why some folks are against the death penalty, somehow it just seems unfair and unjust that Olga, Lyubov, Justin, and Andrew are dead and their murderer is alive.

The Jason Rantz Show can be heard weeknights on KIRO Radio from 7-10 p.m.